She arrived in the family's trusty Kombi, affectionately known as "Wombat", accompanied by her musician son Cameron Whelan and mother Cathy.

The music never stops at their camp with German friend Stephan Willamowski jamming with Cameron when they are not being entertained by the 438 acts playing at the festival.

Woodford Folk Festival. Rosey Star and Ruby McCoy, both 14 of Byron Bay at the Village Green. Picture: Stuart Quinn

Woodford opened yesterday and runs until January 1 with drawcards including Angus Stone, Julia Stone, Kate Miller-Heidke, Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Urthboy, Wagons, The Saints, Hermitude and John Butler Trio.

The line-up includes circus performers, burlesque dancers, speakers and artists as well as musicians.

But it wasn't all just entertainment. Federal Communications shadow spokesman Malcolm Turnbull accused the media and politicians of treating Aussie battlers with contempt by dumbing down complex issues into "one-line soundbites".

"Broadcasters or politicians or writers who think that they are respecting struggle street, the battlers, by dumbing things down into one-line soundbites are not respecting them, they are treating them with contempt," Mr Turnbull said.

He said the standard of political debate in Australia had slipped in the past year with politicians were being drawn into "the game of politics as opposed to the responsibility of dealing with the big issues of our time".

Festival director Bill Hauritz said camping numbers were up 20 per cent and organisers were hoping the trend would continue with a rise in day visitors.

"And we have been blessed with the weather. It has been overcast with a nice breeze for the opening day and the forecast looks good for us," he said.

"There is the odd thunderstorm predicted for the coast, but often it stays perfect here because we are in the hinterland. A shower or too is not going to worry us."

Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said a combination of easterly winds and low pressure troughs were contributing to drizzling rain spots forecast for inland southeast Queensland and the coast.

Mr Domensino said the showers and thunderstorms from yesterday's severe weather warning in the Warrego district could come across to Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

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